-WHAT HAPPENED WITH LANEY TRANSITION-
Laney sighed happily as she reached her favorite park bench. From here she could see the sunset perfectly, and when night fell, she could see the stars with just enough light to write in her notebook (in no way was it a diary. She claims those are far to girly.)
She sat in content silence as the calm wind tickled her face. She recalled everything that had happened today. It was nice until she got to the last sentence.
'You fit in here with the guys' What does that even mean? I don't look like a guy anymore, so why did he say that? She thought angrily. Sure she wasn't the girliest girl or the prettiest, but you could definitely tell her gender. A few unshed, angry tears found their way to her eyes. All these years she had liked him, but no matter what she did, he never saw her as a girl. It wasn't fair.
"Braid my hair? I can't believe them." She heard a scoff behind her as footsteps approached. Laney turned to meet face to face with Newman band member, Lenny Sill. His eyes widened as he noticed his female look-alike sitting on his favorite bench. Laney put on her best glare.
"What are you doing here, Penn?" He asked.
"Not that it's your business, Sill, but my bandmates decided to hold the grossest competition in guy history, and despite what they say, I'm not a guy who's into that." Laney rolled her eyes, "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Carr and the others are having a band sleepover. They seem to forget I'm not a girl who likes braids and manipedis, whatever those are."
Laney cracked a genuine smile, "You too?"
She then remembered who she was speaking to, and placed her firm glare back onto her face. She was a proud Grojband member, and talking, more-so getting along, with a Newman was a terrible act to commit.
Lenny nodded and groaned, "Don't you hate it? I don't get it. I don't look anything like a girl, and you sure don't look a guy. Yet they keep doing it."
Under normal circumstances, he would never associate with a Grojband member, but tonight he was annoyed, and the subject itself was even more annoying. If anyone could understand his annoyance, it would be the his counterpart.
Laney hesitated. This guy was her enemy, yet she felt she could relate and talk to him. What would Corey think if he found out she talked to a Newman? More-so if he found out she actually wanted to sit and chat with him.
Core doesn't make my choices for me She thought. Lenny seemed to understand what she went through, and she needed to talk to someone about her issues since she was to much of a coward to tell Corey.
So she smiled and moved from her spot and patted the seat next to her, "There's room for one more in my pity party." Lenny smiled and sat down.
"Thanks, Laney."
"Call me Lane." She pulled out her notebook and looked at the sunset, "So, I take it you and the Newmans are doing well."
"Aside from the fact Carr won't pay attention to what I really mean when I talk to her." Lenny rolled his eyes before instantly clasping a hand over his mouth, "I uh mean that-"
Laney grew a soft smile. It warmed her heart a little to know her crush wasn't the only oblivious person in Peaceville. It was also amusing to think Lenny, who had always striked her as the 'cool badboy' type, was just as hopelessly in love with with his band's leader as she was with Corey. She hated to admit it, but she and this Newman had a lot in common.
"Relax, Lenny, you're secrets safe with me. I go through the same stuff with Core. They just don't get it, huh?" Laney flipped through her notebook until she found a certain page, "This is a song I wrote about him. You should try writing about Carrie. It helps believe it or not."
"I actually did write a little something once, but I don't think I'll do anything with it."
"Why?"
"Confessing is hard. My heart jumps in my throat, and I can't say it straight. Even if I did say, 'Hey, I love you!' it's not like she'd understand how I really feel. She sees me as her best girl friend, and I doubt I'll ever escape that."
Laney laid a hand on his back, "I know how it is. I could scream 'Hey idiot, I really like you , and even though our relationship as we know it could be over, I want to give us a try because I've liked you since we've met!' and he would still be confused because I'm just one of the guys."
Lenny laughed, "Crushes sure are weird, huh, Lane?"
"100% correct, Lenny."
"Len" He smiled.
"Huh?"
"If I can call you Lane, you can call me Len." He gave her a heart-warming smile.
"Cool, Len. So, you wanna share what you wrote about Carrie? When you actually sing it, it gets a lot off of your chest. I complete swearsiez I'm not going to steal it from you."
"Swersiez?" He laughed at her. He couldn't believe he was doing this. He, Lenny Sill, was chatting it up with Laney Penn as if they were best friends. They were supposed to be enemies, yet he felt that talking to her made him feel better.
Her face flushed, "It's something Core says. I guess I picked it up."
"I'll share mine if you share yours first, songs that is. I'm not a thief, I, "he paused to laugh, "swearsiez."
Laney flushed as she looked at her noebook, "Promise not to tell your band about the swearsiez thing?"
"What happens here stays secret." He smiled at her reassuringly.
Laney smiled back, "Well, it's not much, but here you go." She began to sing.
I see you standing there
Laughing with the crew
-
I pretend to laugh along
Don't know what else to do
-
You're so beautiful
-
Hey
Mr. Oblivious
I can't get you off my mind
-
I drop all of these hints
all over the place
and you still get left behind
-
Hey
Mr. Oblivious
What's it gonna take
-
I've got so much to say
but you take it away
with that smile you wear all day
-
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
I've fallen for a clueless guy (a clueless guy)
-
He's got me falling
and falling
and falling
and falling
and I bet he doesn't even know why~
-
He's sweet as sugar
and strong like steel
knows how to make me learn how to feel
-
and I know I don't show it
but inside I am glowing
whenever he comes nea~r
-
Hey
Mr. Oblivious
Can't you tell yet
-
I've been trying and trying
to where I'm almost dying
but it seems you don't even care
-
He's a clueless, oblivious, one track mind kinda guy (kinda guy)
Yet I still think he's the ultimate star
And I can't get him off of my mind (my mind)
-
He wipes away my tears (wipes away my tears)
teaches me how to smile (how to smile)
knows all my favorite songs (all my favorite songs)
and he doesn't even know why~ (so oblivious)
-
I fell for a clueless guy
the one standing right there
-
he may not know it
because I can't show it
but I love him more than air
-
But if he can't see
what I want us to be
I'll still be right here (right here)
-
Because
even though it hurts for him not to notice me
it hurts worse to know I'll never see that smi~le (that smile)
-
So I may never tell
this secret I hold
like a secretive treasure of
personal beautiful go~ld
-
But it doesn't matter
as long as I have
you~
She finished as she opened her eyes, "There." She smiled at Lenny's gaping form, "How was it?"
"Like a million angels had rockstar children and you were the chosen one." He laughed, "Why aren't you the one behind the mic?"
"With one or two people I'm good, but I've got killer stage fright when I sing in front of a big crowd. Playing my bass and listening to Core sing is soothing enough to stop it, but if I had to sing without Core, I'd pass out." Laney blushed as she told her secret. She really liked to have someone to spill her secrets to. Corey was great, but she couldn't talk about love and embarrassment with him.
"I used to have that problem." Lenny smiled, "You know how I fixed it?"
"How?"
"I told Carr. She had us do so many duets we performed without notification, and then one day she called in sick. We were supposed to go to the children's hospital, so I went ahead, and I sang songs for each child, teenager, and adult in there. I was nervous, but it felt so good to finally do it. Carr was there too. She wasn't even sick."
"Cool." Laney admired the story. She wished Corey would help her out like that. First, she'd have to ask for help. That was the hard part for the prideful girl.
"Corey could help you if you showed him your weak side, you know." Lenny laid a hand on her shoulder, "It also helps develop a better relationship. No matter how clueless Carr is, what she's done for me is something magical, and I love her for it."
Laney smiled at him, "Thanks, Len, I'll be sure to use the advice. And you still have to sing me your song for Carrie."
Lenny's face went red, "I thought you forgot." He stammered, "Oh well." He pulled out a piece of crumpled paper from his pocket.
"What happened to it?"
"I got frustrated." He said simply. Laney nodded in understatement. She knew what it was like too not be able to finish a great song. She stopped her thoughts as his voice began to resonate through her ears.
A while back
I took a chance
to ask a pretty girl to dance
-
She said yes
and we had a
night of fun
-
But as time rolled on
the clock struck 12
and all our fun
turned to hell
-
All the stares
telling me to
propose
-
But we just wanted to have fun
play until our time is up
Share secrets and exchange
'I love you~'s'
-
But all of the stares
got to my girl
-
She became
hard and stale
from sweet
to bitter
-
It wasn't fair
but I still stayed with he~r
-
The pressure of life
can change the course
of our dreams
-
What once was fun
now seems like eternity
-
Life went on
I stayed near
My princess needed
my help here
-
She wouldn't let the world
see her glow
but when she was with me
her brightness
sho~wed
-
So here we are
present day
she won't show them who she is
to stay safe
-
but it's just us here
everything's oka~y
-
I fell in in love
with a pretty girl
-
we had a lot of fun
all around the world
-
but the world tried to change
the one I loved
-
luckily she came to me
to learn lo~ve
-
A while back
I took a chance
to ask a pretty girl to dance
-
She said yes
and we had a
night of fun
-
But as time rolled on
the clock struck 12
and all our fun
turned to hell
Lenny took in a deep breath after hitting the last note, "Was it good?"
Laney forced her jaw shut as she clapped furiously, "That was great, Len. Why wasn't that your band's Valentine's Day Mash Up song?"
Lenny's face flushed, "I never sang it to her, or to anyone but you. It's kind of embarrassing, you know?"
"I know, Len. Trust me, I know. I've got a ton of songs about Core, but not one has made a single note to anyone but you." Laney sympathized with him. She leaned back on the bench. All was quiet for a few minutes until Lenny spoke up.
"So, are we friends now, Lane?" He asked as he stared at the full moon. Laney cast a questioning glance in his direction. She admitted this was relaxing and fun, even if Lenny was a Newman. She wouldn't mind hanging out with him more, so why shouldn't they be friends? She could get the band to stop hating him eventually, and surely the friendship wouldn't anger her friends too much.
"Yeah, I'd like to think we are. We can meet here anytime you want, and I'll see if I can work on Core and the guys not liking you guys. I mean, You seem alright, so your band must be misunderstood by us. Rivalry does that people." Laney fumbled through her bag and pulled out her cellphone.
She had three missed calls. One from her parents and the other two from Corey, "Dammit. I'll call him back later. Len, let's change numbers so we can meet up later. I have a feeling a lot of Core drama will be happening with next week's Freedom of Music competition coming up."
"Same for me and Carr. It'll be nice to talk to someone about it-" They switched phones.
"-instead of keeping it inside." They both finished as they each handed back their respective phones. Laney stood up.
"Well, it's almost my curfew of 11:30. I better fly like a hawk before my rents spaz out." She stretched. Lenny stood up as well.
"Yeah, Carr's going to be worried about me. I hope she's still at the house." He twisted his back until a comfortable pop made him relax.
"See you later, Len?" Laney opened her arms for a friendly hug which Lenny glady accepted.
"Anytime, Lane."
Neither of them noticed the pictures which were taken of them.